Live With Kelly Ripa: Garrett Hedlund & Country Strong

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Garrett Hedlund: Tron Legacy

Kelly Ripa said some of the show’s staff were excited for Garrett Hedlund’s visit. Neil Patrick Harris talked about Garrett Hedlund’s roles in Tron: Legacy and Country Strong. He filmed Tron in spring 2009 and Country Strong in January 2010 but, coincidentally, they were released around the same time.

Credit: lee james cox / Shutterstock.com

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Kelly Ripa: Garrett Hedlund

Kelly Ripa said it seemed like Garrett Hedlund came out of nowhere. But he is from Minnesota, and he moved at age 14 to Arizona. At 18, he moved to LA and found work.

He studied film in school, but he wasn’t involved in theater or school plays. He spent his time at bookstores reading Hollywood trade magazines to find contact information for people he could get in touch with. “Does that work?” Kelly Ripa asked. “No,” Garrett Hedlund said.

Garrett Hedlund: Country Strong

Kelly Ripa brought up the Oscar buzz for Country Strong. It was written and directed by Shana Feste, and it is her second film.

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Garrett Hedlund said he was proud of Shana Feste and excited to work with Gwyneth Paltrow. Neil Patrick Harris said Gwyneth Paltrow is having a career resurgence.

His role in Country Strong also reunited Garrett Hedlund with Tim McGraw, with whom he worked in the 2004 movie version of Friday Night Lights.

Garrett Hedlund: Guitar Lessons For Country Strong

In Country Strong, Garrett Hedlund sings and plays guitar, but he doesn’t have a background in music. He did six months of training on guitar to prepare for the role. They watched a clip from Country Strong, in which Garrett Hedlund’s character visits Gwyneth Paltrow’s character in rehab.